Sixty-three petrochemical plants have come on stream over the past 40 years and production and export of a variety of petrochemicals have grown.
According to National Petrochemical Company data, annual production of petrochemicals in 1979 was 1.5 million tons. This jumped 40-fold in four decades and is now in the region of 60 million tons per annum, ISNA reported.
With the launch of petrochemical companies in the coming months, NPC's annual output is expected to reach 70 million next year.
In the late 1970s Iran had six petrochemical companies and now there are 63 located largely in the south and southwest.
During those years 17 types of petrochemicals were produced. As the industry grew in leaps and bounds, companies started producing 121 types of the value-added products, including polyethylene, methanol, benzene, ammonia, sulphur, PVC and propylene for the domestic and for export.
Petrochemicals accounted for almost 35% of Iran’s non-oil exports last year.
Export four decades ago was 600,000 tons per year, while in this fiscal year (ending in March), companies have exported over 30 million tons and generated $17 billion.
Global Performance
With abundant hydrocarbon resources and growing private sector investments, Iran is striving to expand its footprint in the international petrochemical market.
All said, Iranian petrochemical has had a good presence in global markets namely in Asia, Europe and South America.
The petrochemical sector is Iran’s second most important industry after oil and gas. Renovation and optimization of petrochemical plants are underway in the provinces to increase output and meet growing domestic demand.
With abundant hydrocarbon resources and growing private sector investments, Iran is striving to expand its footprint in the international petrochemical market
Some of the projects underway include Kavian, Nouri and Jam petrochemical companies, as well as Morvarid and Mobin petrochemical complexes in the southern port city of Asalouyeh in Bushehr Province.
Plans have been devised to raise output in Bandar Imam Petrochemical Complex and Shahid Tondgouyan Petrochemical Complex in Bandar Mahshahr, Takht-e-Jamshid Petrochemical Plant in Mahshahr Special Petrochemical Economic Zone in Khuzestan Province and Urmia Petrochemical Plant in West Azarbaijan Province.
Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh said Tuesday in order to improve the oil industry value chain and increase non-oil exports, policy and decision makers should focus on attracting investments in the petrochemical industry and move toward procuring and exporting goods with higher value-added.
